Leader of the House of Lords

Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: Her Majesty the Queen has been pleased to approve the extension of the appointment of Lieutenant General David Leakey CMG CBE as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod until 31 January 2018.

Department for Transport

Rail Franchising

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Paul Maynard) has made the following Ministerial Statement.Today, I am announcing the competition for a new combined rail franchise – the West Coast Partnership (WCP). This new proposition is seeking to attract a world class partner to develop and enhance the existing InterCity West Coast (ICWC) operation and help shape the development of HS2 and operate its first services in 2026. We are embarking on a new chapter in the modernisation of our railways. A strong private sector partner is vital now to work with Government and as an advocate for passengers on the West Coast, to ensure excellent passenger services in the run up to HS2 introduction, and a smooth transition to the next generation of rail franchising as HS2 becomes the new backbone of Britain’s railways. I want to be very clear that this is a new type of Franchise requiring a new kind of approach to bidding. A unique feature of this competition is that the winning bidding group will need transformational expertise across all rail operational and customer service disciplines. The new operator will need to build on the existing ICWC long-distance, inter-city, cross-border services between England, Scotland and Wales by delivering a service which truly puts passengers at the heart of the railway. The new operator will have to demonstrate how they will drive up punctuality and reliability – working to deliver a right time journey experience for passengers and examine closely the potential for better connections between the towns and cities they serve to enable economic growth. The new operator will also need to bring about a transformation in passenger satisfaction around fares and ticketing, delivering the passengers expectation to have all of the information they need to choose the best ticket for their journeys.This exciting competition is aimed at attracting a world class partner to enhance and develop the ICWC services and take forward the delivery of the train services on HS2. There are a number of key interfaces between the delivery of HS2 and the ICWC rail franchise and I believe there are significant benefits in bringing the two projects closer together to ensure the best outcomes for passengers both before and after the start of the HS2 services.Benefits of the partnership proposition include:ICWC passengers benefitting from new technology before the introduction of High Speed servicesAn experienced operator coming on board at an early stage to shape service design based on knowledge of the markets and passenger needsA strong partner acting collaboratively with HS2 Ltd to design, launch and operate the passenger services on HS2 and manage the timetable recast of the West Coast Main Line.The successful bidder will need to work in partnership with the DfT, HS2 Ltd, local transport authorities, Transport Scotland and the Welsh Government. Today’s announcement to market of this new proposition is the first step in a process. The Expression of Interest (EOI) for the WCP is due to be published in December 2016, followed by the Invitation to Tender in October / November 2017 with the new franchise scheduled to commence 1 April 2019. The delivery of the WCP will require a new short term contract of approximately 12 months for the continued operation of services.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Triennial Review of the Information Commissioner’s Office

Lord Ashton of Hyde: My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (Karen Bradley) has made the following Statement:Following a statement by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Human Rights (Dominic Raab) on 16th July 2015, I wish to inform the House that the Triennial Review of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that was announced in Parliament on Tuesday 25 November 2014, has been published today and a copy has been placed in the libraries of both Houses.The Government welcomes the Review’s positive assessment of the ICO's contribution to the protection of personal data and the increased transparency in public life over the last 30 years. The Review rightly notes the considerable strides the ICO has made in improving its performance in a number of areas against a challenging economic backdrop.The Review also recognises that the environment in which the ICO operates has changed considerably over the last decade due the proliferation of digital information and rapid changes in technology. In turn, the ICO’s powers and functions have grown to meet this challenge. In response, the Review concludes that the functions of the ICO are still required but recommends that the organisation should be restructured as a multi-member Commission to encourage a greater breadth of decision-making and accountability.The Government has considered the Review’s recommendations very carefully. It agrees that the expansion in role highlighted by the Review does necessitate a step change in governance and leadership at the ICO and that is why we welcomed the separate decision by the previous Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, to widen the existing leadership cadre to allow for greater collective decision-making on regulatory matters.However, the Government has decided that reconstituting the ICO as a multi-member Commission is not the right change to make to it’s governance arrangements. The new Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, took up post in July 2016. Her first priority is to ensure that the organisation is properly equipped to take forward the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will come into force in the UK in May 2018; and to provide clarity and certainty to businesses and organisations as they make preparations to implement the Regulation. Alongside this is a need to prepare the organisation for any changes to data protection regulatory landscape after the UK exits the European Union.Strong and stable leadership is crucial during a period of rapid organisational change and the Government believes that a single Information Commissioner working through an enhanced senior leadership team is the best model for achieving this. We therefore do not intend on making any statutory changes to the governance model of the ICO.More broadly, the Review recommended that the ICO improves its digital and technological capability to meet the economic and societal challenges posed by the rapidly growing digital economy. A number of improvements have been made over the last year, expanding the number of technology experts at the ICO and improving the visibility of technology in the ICO’s communications. This additional expertise has significantly strengthened the ICO's investigation and enforcement capability in relation to cyber and other data protection breaches. The Information Commissioner is committed to publishing a refreshed technology strategy in 2017, including further investment in expertise available to the ICO and drawing on external knowledge through better research and collaboration with experts from academia and industry.


This statement has also been made in the House of Commons: 
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